May 16, 2025
During a high-profile visit to the United Arab Emirates on May 15, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced over $200 billion in new agreements between the U.S. and the UAE, including a major focus on artificial intelligence collaboration. After meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Trump unveiled a range of deals, including a $14.5 billion aircraft investment from Etihad Airways and a new U.S.-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership. The two leaders also attended the launch of a 5-gigawatt AI campus—set to become the largest outside the U.S.—underscoring the deepening technological cooperation. Trump praised the UAE’s growing investment in American infrastructure and defense, while reaffirming his administration’s commitment to strengthening ties in the Gulf region.
The agreements cover sectors from energy to advanced technology. Emirates Global Aluminum will fund a $4 billion aluminum project in Oklahoma, while U.S. energy firms like ExxonMobil and Occidental will partner with Abu Dhabi’s national oil company on $60 billion worth of projects. AI developments are central to the visit, with the UAE securing preliminary approval to import 500,000 of Nvidia’s top-tier AI chips annually. These chips are critical for the UAE’s ambitions to become a global AI leader. In exchange, the UAE committed to build U.S.-based data centers and tighten national security controls on U.S. technology. The trip also included diplomatic stops in Qatar and discussions on a potential nuclear deal with Iran and lifting sanctions on Syria, reflecting a broader push to reshape U.S. alliances in the Middle East.
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SOURCE: The Algemeiner